Taming the Cat

Enjoy the read! This story can be finished within the next chapter or two, but most likely I'll drag it out just a little bit more and make it 6 chappies.

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Taming the Cat, Part III

.:Cat's got your Tongue?:.

Amu steps up

A pink-haired girl paced around, feet patting repeatedly against the hardwood floor. She took ten steps from the door to the glass pane that led to the balcony. When she had covered the length of her bedroom, she quickly turned around, feet sweeping without hesitation at the motion.

Rima narrowed her eyes at the girl. "Will you stop that already? It's making me dizzy!"

Amu barely noticed the complaints of her pompous blonde friend and continued on with her indistinguishable mutters. "I'm a crazy cat lady, a crazy cat lady! Oh God!"

As grateful as the Queen was to her bestfriend, who had given her the courage to speak her thoughts to her parents thus allowing her to visit Amu's home this late, Rima never had much patience to begin with. The very immature antics of her friend was trying the little patience that she had.

"AMU! Why don't you just save us all the time and trouble and just accept it already?"

Wrong move.

"Accept it, Rima?!" She stomped over, glaring at the calm girl. "Ican'tjustacceptit! Because it's not true! I'm in love with Tadase-kun!" Her low mumbles now transformed into incoherent shrieks. "Aarggbekauzaaayuu! Aargwahjuzzadreembuhanobauggderrr!"

Her three charas looked on with concern, exchanging soft whispers with each other. Yes, it was true. Their lovely master had officially lost it.

"Arg because of you?" Ran's face was tightened in a grimace as she tried to study Amu's words. "Oh..All because of you." Her expression brightened and she turned to Miki for approval at her success.

"That was wonderful desu!"

Suu was clearly impressed, but the artist only sighed, once again stepping in to translate. Floating over to the groaning Rima who held her head in her hands, the blue chara spoke. "Amu says it's all your fault. It was just a stupid dream but you turned it into a big deal."

"If you say so Amu." Rima rolled her eyes at the girl, now thoroughly too tired to convince her otherwise. "Well, even so, are you sure you'd want Tsukiyomi-san to go to that dance with that girl, Takashi?"

"WHAT?!" Amu's honey orbs shot open. "He's going to the dance with her?! Didn't he reject her?" And just as soon as she had let those words escape, the pink-haired girl let out a cough and looked away. "A-as if I care!"

But Rima in no way missed Amu's blush. Neither did the blue-haired teen who knelt beyond the balcony door. His cat ears had perked up at her words.

"Yo."

"I-I-Ikuto!" Amu's face burned up at an incredible rate, now probably hot enough to cook an egg with its heat. "W-w-why a-are y-you here today?!"

Rather than greet the arrival of the catman, Rima shot a suspicious glance at the flustered girl barely able to cover up her own surprise.

"Today?" She questioned, gaze boring into Amu's darting eyes. Knowing how Amu really was, Rima would have figured the girl would be most likely screaming her lungs out that someone had just snuck in through her balcony.

"Eh, I was passing by anyway. Besides, Yoru wanted to see one of your Shugo Charas. The blue-headed one I think…what was her name?" He shrugged.

"No I didn't! You're the one who said you wanted to visit Amu!" The neko Chara denied, though his cheeks were tinted pink. Despite his words, Yoru wasted no time floating over towards the other Charas, heading straight for a certain blue chibi.

Amu rose to her feet, completely ignoring Rima. Stomping towards Ikuto, she shoved him back towards the balcony door. "Why couldn't you pick a better time you pervert?" She screamed.

"Oh? Like when? What exactly did you have in mind Amu?" Suddenly, his lips were by her ears. He bent slightly forward and he breathed out his words against her pink cheeks.

"N-n-nothing!" She took a step back, but was too slow. Ikuto's mouth followed, just catching the tip of her ear before she moved away. He nibbled it lightly, causing her to stagger back and nearly fall over as she let out a squeak.

"Eep!"

"Careful now." He whispered into her ear, wrapping an arm around her waist to support her. Meanwhile, Rima who normally would have been in quite a frightening mood for being ignored for so long was rendered entirely speechless at the scene. Her cheeks were flushed, her mouth parted slightly; but she soon recovered and forced her jaw shut as she attempted to look away.

"I-Ikuto! Now's n-not the time!" Amu yelped, forcefully pushing Ikuto away from her. Her cheeks were bright red as her palms made contact to his sturdy chest.

"Oh? So there is a time for this?" Ikuto questioned, smirking as he casually slid his hands into his pockets.

"N-n-no!" Amu huffed, still shoving the catman out the door. She had managed to spin him around with her fumbling hands but he leaned backwards, resting his weight against the girl who now pushed his lean back with her palms. His tone was dripping with fake hurt. "What? You can visit me but I can't visit you?"

Amu's knees nearly buckled at his weight, but just as soon as she began toppling over, Ikuto stood straight and carefully swept her around the waist. He pulled her closer nudging his face against her warm cheeks. Her cheeks flared and heart pounded. A muffled squeak escaped her lips as she shielded her chest with her arms.

"L-Let go you pervert!" She struggled to push his arms away.

"Aww, you're being so cold. Don't you care?" He teased, breathing a warm moist breath against her cheeks. Her face immediately shot up a few degrees.

"N-no, of course not!" She squirmed in his grip, now trying to beat his arms.

Sighing heavily, he loosened his arm just slightly and spoke. "I'll be back tonight then, Amu." He leaned close to her ear and gave it a slight lick.

"I-I-IKUTO!" Her body went stiff and she visibly shuddered. "W-wh-y-you." She struggled with her words, trying to rail at the calm blue-haired teenager who was was already halfway out the balcony door.

"What's the matter Amu, cat's got your tongue?" Rima finally interrupted, finding the perfect opportunity to witness Amu face glow as brightly as a lantern.

"Mashiro-san," He said with a slight nod of approval. "I guess I will be going to the dance with Takashi-san afterall."

Rima replied with a nod of her own. "It can't be helped." A slight grin settled on her face as her eyes met Ikuto's subtle wink.

The tall figure turned to Amu with his hands still stuffed casually in his pockets. His soft hair fell against his eyes which were narrowed at the pink-haired girl. Pursing his lips just slightly into the all too familiar smirk, he spoked again. "Later Amu."

Less than a second later, he disappeared from view with Yoru. His lithe body jumped off of the balcony, already descended onto the street.

"R-RIMA!" Amu flared with rage.

"Yes?" She said calmly. As expected of the Ice Queen.

"I can't believe you just- ARG- why did you do that?"

"Excuse me?"

"You basically told him to just go with Takashi!"

"I thought you didn't care?" Her tone was challenging. Still, the blonde did not even spare Amu a second glance.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I want him going with anyone else!" She groaned.

"That sounds like you care Amu." Miki noted coolly, eyes focused on her sketchbook. She was quite relaxed, now that she knew that Amu's parents had taken Ami out of the house.

"Amu-chan loves Ikuto!" Ran sang happily, before she linked arms with Suu and began dancing with the green chara. "Amu-chan loves Ikuto desu!"

"No I don't!" Amu denied, hands still tracing the corner of her damp ear.

"Hmm?" Rima shot her an interrogating look, watching her fingers delicately brush against her pink-tinged ears.

"I-I'm j-just wiping off the sp-spit!"

Rima's eyes only grew wide at her words. "I thought it was just a kiss on the ear." Her own cheeks blossomed a faint blush.

"Nope. He licked her."

"RAN!"

"Yes, he does seem to do that a lot desu."

"SUU!"

"Well, usually when he comes to visit at night."

"At night…?"

"MIKI?! You too?" Amu shrieked, causing Rima to plug her ears. Miki looked satisfied, smiling just briefly into her drawing before the fuming girl swiped a hand at her three guardians. "Come back here you guys!" She growled, trying to whack at them like flies.

"R-Ran…didn't you say Amu would never hurt us desu?" Suu floated forwards with her arms extended in front of her. "Ahh! Amu's scary!" Beads of tears formed at the corner of her eyes as she tighly shut them and floated blindly forward in panic.

"Ahhhh!" Ran screamed, her skirt now caught between Amu's two fingers. "Take Miki, take Miki!" She desperately grabbed onto Miki's bag, but the blue chara shot a sharp glare at her before smacking her hands with her sketchbook.

"Hmph!"

All this time, Rima looked on, seemingly unamused though her lips did curve up slightly at its corners. She curled a finger at her own Chara, signaling for her to float over. Quietly, she whispered. "Kusu Kusu, take notes. We can use this for our comedy act."

A few minutes later, a loud crash echoed the room with Amu landing on her face and two Shugo Charas sitting smugly on top. The other – Suu, was trapped within Amu's hands, having been successfully sacrificed by Ran.

Rima's golden locks hid her expression but she was now seated on Amu's bed with an elbow against her knees. She leaned into her palm, looking extremely bored. She finally spoke when the chaos subsided. That is, when Amu was too breathless to continue the chase or scream at her Charas and when her Charas were too exhausted to keep flying around.

"So what's this I hear? Visits late at night? Licking your ears?"

"I uh…" Amu scrambled to her knees, kneeling against the floor. She played with the hem of her skirt, not meeting Rima's gaze. "Oh. God." She groaned, becoming a living furnace.

"Time to admit defeat Amu. My, my. From the way he was holding you, I can see why you're so flustered around him." Rima stated, ears glowing a dull pink.

Amu slumped against the floor, sliding forward as she let her body brush against the ground before she was completely flopped on the floor face-down. "Why?" She whined.

"Why is he going with Takashi?"

"No why this pervert? What's wrong with me?" Her words hit the wooden floor, muffled to all the others, but Miki soon came to translate.

Rima gingerly hopped off the bed, and landed beside the girl. She folded her knees into her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs as she watched the mass of pink hair shift only slightly in recognition of her sudden presence beside her moping bestfriend.

"There, there." She said mildly, patting Amu's back emptily. It was the closest thing to sympathy Amu would receive from the Ice Queen.

"I can't believe he's going to the dance with Takashi! Didn't he reject her earlier?" Amu groaned, her forehead growing as pink as her hair by the minute at being squashed against the floor. She peeled her head up and turned to Rima, eyes shaking slightly.

Rima watched her friend wearily, a little disgusted by the idiotic image of the design of tree rings pressed into Amu's forehead as she stared up at her with trembling lips.

"Ugh…Amu. It's just so simple." Rima rolled her eyes at the girl. She carefully brushed off the surface of her pleated plaid skirt of her uniform as she stood up.

"It is?"

"Yes, it is." Rima sighed, now reaching for her phone. She flipped it open. "Allow me to demonstrate."

Amu slowly got up and sat on the bed beside her friend. She looked at her phone curiously as the blonde zoomed through a list of names without so much as even looking at the screen.

"I think I'll stop here…" She announced, finally releasing the down button and giving it a mild glance.

"MS#36? What's that supposed to mean?" Amu wondered at the name. But Rima hadn't heard her, or chose not to answer and simply pressed down on the dial button with her thumb.

"Hello? Yes, it's Mashiro-san. It seems to be getting a bit late and I'm at a friend's house." The blonde paused briefly, waiting. As if getting the expected response, her signature smirk made its way to her face. "Yes, she's a girl. Now if you don't mind, I need you to take me home."

She pulled the phone a fair distance away, wincing slightly. Even Amu could hear the voice on the other line. "I-I'd l-love to Mashiro-sama!"

"Address?" Rima turned to face Amu, looking entirely serious. As Amu told her, she furrowed her brows over her honey-colored eyes in confusion at Rima's strange actions.

"Yes," The Queen spoke into the phone, confirming the address. "I expect you here in no less than 15 minutes."

Without another word, she clicked her phone folding it back down. "And that, silly Amu, is how it's done." Her eyes were closed, a narrow grin played her lips and her chin was raised into the air.

"Did I just miss something? What did MS#36 stand for anyway?"

Rima sighed. "It seems as if you hadn't caught on to that lesson at all." She rested her hands on Amu's shoulders, eyes displaying disappointment. The pink-hair girl stared at her friend, restless at her extreme solemnness as she waited for her to continue speaking. Rima's lips were pressed hard together into a thin line, causing Amu to worry.

"That of course, was man servant #36."

Amu nearly fell off her bed.

"What Amu?" Rima looked absolutely annoyed at the Joker's sudden grimace. "Look, all you have to do is call Tsukiyomi-san and order him not to go with Takashi."

"You mean tell him."

"No, order."

"Tell."

"No, order." The blonde stubbornly averred. She sighed heavily. "I really do suppose my techniques are too elusive for your simple mind."

Amu crossed her arms and pouted, not quite sure what Rima had said though not at all pleased with being called 'simple minded.'

Ding-Dong!

"Well, it's time for me to go, Joker." Rima stated dryly. Amu's anger was suddenly forgotten as she immediately stood up and grabbed a hold of the blonde's hand.

"Rima, what am I going to do?"

The blonde watched her pleading expression with amusement. "Well, if you can't make him a man-slave, you can always try playing on his cat instincts." She shrugged Amu's hand away, as if giving away the carefully planned piece of advice without much thought – a simple slip or passing of words. And it worked like a charm.

"Rima, that's perfect!" Amu's face lit up and she jumped over to hug her friend.

"Watch the hair." Rima snarled.

"S-Sorry." Amu replied sheepishly. She watched the blonde pick up her bags, before leading her out the door.

"Bye Rima!" The pink-haired girl cried, as she stared at the backs of Rima and a furiously blushing boy from Seiyo. Man servant #36 seemed to be doing his job. He had immediately taken the bag that Rima had extended towards him the moment the door was opened, and now, he could be seen opening the gate in front of the Hinamori house for the pompous Queen.

"Huh, same old Rima." Amu closed the door behind her with a small smile. She leaned against it, with her arms folded behind her. Her mind played with the idea of Ikuto as man servant #1. "Impossible." She chuckled, dismissing it without a second of serious thought. "Rima's tricks might not work for me, but that cat thing sure does sound interesting."

Indeed, Ikuto Tsukiyomi was not one to command. Amu found it more likely to be the one tricked into being ordered around by Ikuto rather than the other way around. He was however, as much of a feline as a real cat, wild and feral as he was.

But, as Rima had said, that can be fixed. Amu just had to step up and try to tame the cat.